This story is free to read.

Sailing chief: Rio events could be moved from polluted bay

Athletes from the Nacra 17 Mixed Multihull class return to Flamengo beach after competing in a sailing test event for the Rio 2016 Olympic Games in Guanabara Bay, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Wednesday, Aug. 19, 2015. Much of the focus at the Olympic sailing test event has been on Rio's polluted waters. Athletes have little choice but to compete with local organizers declining to move to cleaner venues for next year's first Olympics in South America. (AP Photo/Leo Correa) Athletes from the Nacra 17 Mixed Multihull class return to Flamengo beach after competing in a sailing test event for the Rio 2016 Olympic Games in Guanabara Bay, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Wednesday, Aug. 19, 2015. Much of the focus at the Olympic sailing test event has been on Rio's polluted waters. Athletes have little choice but to compete with local organizers declining to move to cleaner venues for next year's first Olympics in South America. (AP Photo/Leo Correa)

By Associated Press August 22, 2015 1 min read

RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) – The head of sailing’s governing body has threatened to move all Olympic events out of polluted Guanabara Bay unless the water is cleaner and floating rubbish is removed for next year’s Rio Games.

Peter Sowrey, speaking to The Associated Press on Saturday on the final day of an Olympic sailing test event, says: “If we can’t get the water to a level, then we’ll move it outside,” to the open Atlantic.

Sowrey, the chief executive officer of ISAF, said one course inside the bay was closed after floating rubbish hindered racing for two days. Rubbish flowed into the bay despite little rain in Rio in recent weeks.

He also complained he received no data during the week-long Olympic test from the state agency that monitors water quality.